Sheikh Ridwan Mohammed
A renowned Islamic scholar and cleric in Kumasi, Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan, has criticized the Hajj Board over its inability to directly airlift Muslims from Kumasi to Mecca for Hajj.
According to him, statics show that a large number of Muslim pilgrims in the country that visit the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj annually come from the Ashanti Region, especially Kumasi, the regional capital.
The Islamic scholar, who commands a lot of respect in the region, said Muslim pilgrims from the Ashanti Region usually travel to either Accra or Tamale to board aircraft to travel to the holy city annually.
Sheikh Ridwan Mohammed, who is the Imam for Hausa Community of Old Tafo and the Chief Imam of the Atwima Koforidua Mosque, pointed out that the development pose great threat to the lives of the hapless pilgrims.
According to him, travelling by road to Accra or Tamale to board aircraft to travel to Mecca come with numerous challenges, adding that all efforts to get the Hajj Board to allow pilgrims to fly direct from Kumasi to Mecca has proved futile.
“I have been advocating for this over the past two years so that the Hajj Board will do the right thing by introducing a policy that will enable the scores of Muslims to fly directly from Kumasi to Mecca but it has failed to work.
Sheikh Ridwan Mohammed said he would lead other Muslims leaders in the region, who are equally concerned about the conduct of the Hajj Board, to petition Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
“We are giving them up to 2019 and if we do not see anything positive, we will advise ourselves,” the Islamic cleric stated in an exclusive interview with DAILY GUIDE in Kumasi.
He claimed the Hajj Board doesn’t have the interest of the Muslims in Kumasi and the Ashanti Region, in general, at heart.
Sheikh Ridwan Mohammed said,“Sheikh I.C Quaye, the current Hajj Board Chairman, is a disappointment to Muslims in the region. He assured us in 2017 that they will airlift Muslims from Kumasi to Mecca but it has turned out to be a fallacy.”
According to him, the Kumasi Airport has all the facilities to help fly Muslims directly from Kumasi to Saudi Arabia.
From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi